Dial clock



June 23, 1942.

F. A. GREENAWALT DIAL CLOCK Filed Feb. 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR frvdeNd'A WITNESSES: 56.

' ATTORNEY June 23, 1942.

F. A. GREENAWALT DIAL CLOCK Filed Feb. 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 9 5 5i: l U 10 Z3- 7 7/ 2/ WITNESSES: 625%.

INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEDIAL CLOCK Frederick A. Greenawalt, Columbus, Ohio Application February21, 1941, Serial No. 379,963

Claims.

My invention relates to clocks and particularly to dial type numeralclocks.

It is the main object of my invention to provide a dial type numeralclock comprising a minimum number of operating parts of relatively lightweight, which can be easily and quickly assembled and which arerelatively inexpensive.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dial type numeral clockstructure that shall permit of varying the size of the numeralsindicating the time of day and the-size of the dialdiscs carrying thesenumerals with but relatively small changes in the construction except asto the size of the parts. I

Another object of my invention is to provide relatively simple andinexpensive means to hold the dials in their stationary positions.

Other objects of my invention will either be apparent from a descriptionof one form of my invention now preferred by me or will he pointed outhereinafter in the description and operation of this form of my"invention and will be particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the clock mechanism when notmounted in an enclosing casing,

Fig.2 is a view rear elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the clock mechanism taken onthe line III-ill of Y Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation thereof taken from the right-hand sideof Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlargement of a part of Fig, 3 of the drawings showingmore particularly the mounting of two of the dials, and, I

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of certain parts of the mechanismas seen from the rear thereof.

My clock structure comprises first of all a frame structure including afront frame plate H which frame plate is relativelynarrow, rela-- andmay be somewhat narrower than front frame The two frame plates aremechanically plate ll.

short studs l'l into which small connected as by passing through thefront and rear frame plates and having screw-threaded engagement withtheir studs l1. Frame 12 may be secured to plate II by screws 20' asshown in Fig. 4. As will be seen from Fig. 1 of the drawings, I mayprovide four such studs I1 in order to obtain a relatively rigid butlight frame supporting the rest of the mechanism constituting myimproved clock structure.

I provide as a motor means for causing turning movement of therespective number-bearing dials an electric motor l9 which is preferablyof the sub-synchronous type and which I now prefer to mount on the framesecured to the rear frame plate l5 as is shown more particularly in Fig.3 of the drawings. The speed of rotation of the motor shaft fl is onerevolution. per minute and this shaft has mounted thereon a disc 23which hasmounted thereon a driving pin 25 which driving pin willtherefore rotate through a complete revolution in one minute. It will be21 outside of the frame. that is, against the back:

surface of frame plate l5 so that the shaft it will project throughsmall opening in frame plate l5 and the shaft is of such length that thedisc 23 is positioned a short distance back of the front frame plate H.

I' provide a minute dial 29 which has printed thereon the numerah O, l,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in the proper sequence so that when the dial29 is turned through a predetermined angular or peripheral distance onceeach minute the consecutive numerals apmaring at the right-hand side ofopening IE will increase to indicate elapsed minutes of time. Dial 28 isrotatably supported as by a bushing 31 which is held in. its properoperative position as by a small machine screw or stud 33 extendingthrough the front frame plate l5 and which is held by a nut 35 threadedthereon. While I have shown a particular embodiment of a bearing, it isto be understood that I am not limited to the particular constructionshown since any other bearing for supporting the dial 29 made ofrelatively thin sheet material may be utilized. The dial 29 is providedwith ten integral punched-out ears or tabs 31 these bent-out ears beingon a diameter considerably less than the outside diameter of the dial29. It will be noted that-the ears 3'! have a flat surface and I nowprefer to have one of these surfaces extend substantially radially fromthe axis on which the dial turns when the machine screws 20 may extend,these screws clock is in operation. It will be noted that the number ofbent-out ears 3! corresponds to that of the total number of numeralsimprinted or otherwise shown 'on the dial adJacent the peripherythereof/ The dial 29 is provided also with a relatively short drivingpin 99 for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to.

I provide two co-axially supported dials 4| and 43. The dial 4| is theten minute dial and will therefore ,have imprinted or otherwiseshownthereon the numerals 0, i, 2, 3, 4 and 5, while the sixty minute or hourdial 49 will have imprinted or shown thereon numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, .6,'1, 8, 9, 1o, 11 and 12. It will be'noted that the uter diameter 01' theten minute dial 4| is so ewhat smaller than the outer diameter of theminute dial 29 while the outer diameter of the Zixty minute am ,4: islarger than that of the en minute dial 4| and is, in fact, almost orsub- /stantially double the diameter of the ten minute dial. I provide abushing member 46 to support the two dials 4i and 49 co-axially witheach other, with dial 43 in the rear of dial 4|. This tubular bushingmember 46 is free to rotate on a headed stud 41 extending therethroughand through an opening in the rear frame plate 15 against which it maybe held by a nut 49 engaging the outer or rearmost threaded end of studor p611; 41. The ten minute dial 4| is fixedly mounted on the bushingmember 45 so that it .a d its support may turn as constrained to domeans and in a manner to be hereinafter set orth. A small spur gear 6|is also fixedly mounted on an auxiliary bushing 63 held .on the bushingmember 46 by a set screw 64 so that gear wheel 6| will turn with dial4|. A second spur gear 66 is fixedly supported on a bushing 56 which isrotatably mounted on a short headed. stud 61 supported on the rear frameplate l6 so that the gear wheel 66 will mesh with gear 7 wheel II to beturned therewith. Gear wheel 66 has mounted thereon a driving pin 69 toturn therewith. I

Dial 4| is provided with a plurality of punchedout ears 66, 'six innumber, which ears or tabs are adapted to be engaged consecutively bythe driving pin 39 on dial 29 when the dial 29is caused to turn throughone-tenth of its periphery because of engagement of one of the bentoutears 31 by the driving pin 26 on disc 23 continuously rotated by themotor l8. The ten minute dial 4| will therefore be turned through one-\sixth of its total periphery and in a direction counter to that inwhich dial 29 is turned so that the numerals on the'two dials, namelythe minute and the ten minute dial, will indicate correctly at one timeduring each minute the number of minutes of the time of day.

The turning movement of the dial 4| causes a .-6| in one direction and acorresponding turning movement of the gear wheel 66, which is of thesame size as gear wheel 6|; in the opposite direc-' is, of course, tobeunderstood that the positionof the driving pins 26, 99 and 69 and theposition of the bent-out ears, engaged thereby to cause turning-movement,of predetermined but .difl'erent degrees of the respective dialsjaresuch that the numerals will show in back-of the opexi spective dials isjust suilicient to cause a new numeral to show on a dial when the sameis turned and it will therefore be obvious thatthe minute dial 29 willbe turned through one complete revolution once in ten minutes'to therebycause predetermined angular turning movement of the ten minute dial onceevery ten minutes and that one complete revolution of the ten minutedial 4| in sixty minutes will cause predetermined angular tumingmovement of the sixty minute or hour dial 43 through one-twelfth of itsperiphery so as to bring another' numeral back of the opening it insubstantially the same manner as set forth for the other dials.

I provide novel means for holding the minute and the hour dial in theirstationary positions.

Referring to Fig. 6 of the drawings it will be noted that thepunched-out ears 31 left openings 63 in the dial and I provide a leafspring 65 having one end secured to the front frame plate flat V-shapeadapted to fit into an opening 63, the spring 66 being bent to bias theV-shaped 'portion into an opening 63. By proper adjustment of the spring66 it is possible to cause tuming movement of the dial 29 from one toanother of its consecutive operative positions with relatively smallpower and the V-shaped end portion moves into the opening easily andsurely and holds the dial in desired position.

I provide a plurality of openings 61 in the hour dial 43, equal innumber to the number of numerals on the dial and on a diameter somewhatgreater than that of the punched-out ears 6i. A leaf spring 69 has oneend fixed to the rear frame plate i5 and a portion bent to flat V-shapenear its other end is adapted to fit into the respective openings 61 tostop and then securely.

the size of openings 69 and of the leaf spring 65 I can dispense withancing means.

No such holding means has been found necessary for the ten minute discsince the bearing of the hour dial sets upa suiilcient friction on thebearing attached to the ten minute dial to hold and keep it'in properstationary position when not being turned by the pin on the minute dial.

In the assembly of theseclocls movements it is necessary that the pin onthe minute dial turn the use of any counterbalthe ten-minute dial theexact distance between corresponding turning movement of gear wheel iialgglmthe rrentrrame Plate; n: Etc be further turning-movement. the re-(it two consecutive figures on the dial. To permit of adjusting for thisresult I make the four holes in the back plate through which theclamping lcrews 29 extend, of e ongated shape as may be seen byreference Fig. 2. "This permits of movingthe back frame plate "carryingthe ten minute and the hour dial to the right or to the left so that thepin on the minute dial will engage one of the ears or tabs'on the tenminute dial exactly long enough to turn the ten minute dial through theproper distance to cause'the threenumerals to line up properlyback ofthe p ning The diameter or thecircle'on which the open-. ings 61 in arelocated, is made somewhat larger than "-'i ;.he diameter of-the circleonwhich the ears-flare located. shice the latter diameter Its other endis provided with a portion of is quite small and it would be impossibleto use a leaf, spring, such as member 69, to move into the openings leftby the punched-out ears 6|. Further the mounting of the holding spring69 for dial 43 on the rear frame plate brings this spring on the' sameside of the dial as are the ears or tabs 6|.

While I have not illustrated any enclosing casing it is to be understoodthat I may mount this clock assembly in an enclosing casing which, forexample, may be made of wood and which may have a window therein alinedwith the opening l3 so that the mechanism and particularly the bearing,on which the dials rotate, may be protected from dust. Such a structureis shown generally by the front frame 12.

The device embodying my invention includes a relatively simple andinexpensive supporting frame for the supporting mechanism including moreparticularly a front frame plate which'supports the minute dial andincludes also a rear frame plate which supports the ten minute and thesixty minute dial as well as the electric motor providing the movingpower for the entire clock. The three dials, two of which are mountedcoaxially, have their axes spaced apart a short distance only and theline connecting these axes extends longitudinally of the elongated frontand rear frame plate and therefore of the supporting frame. It will benoted that the minute dial turns in'a counterclockwise direction in thepres ent preferred embodiment of my invention and that the ten minuteand the sixty minute dials turn in a clockwise direction to indicate theconsecutive minutes of the time of day.

It may be pointed out that if I desire to increase the size of thenumerals on the individual dials to permit of mounting a numeral clockof this improved construction farther away from those noting the time,it is only necessary to in crease the outer diameter of the respectivedials and to space the axis minute dial farther from the axis of the tenminute and the hour dial with other changes called for by theseincreases in diameter but that it is not necessary to increase the spacebetween the front frame plate and the rear frame plate at all. 7

I wish to point out further that the mechanical engagement between therespective driving pins and the bent-out-ears is against one of the fiatfaces of the bent-out ears or tabs and that this decreases the frictionbetween the driving pin and the driven bent-out tab and dial so that arelatively small amount of power is needed to cause the desired turningmovement of the dialv eration of my improved clock. The holding springscan be made relatively light so that the power required'to move thedials is still very small.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of myinvention I do not desire to be limited thereto and all obviousmodifications thereof coming within thescope of the appended claims areto be considered as being covered thereby.

I claim as my invention: a

. 1. A dial type clock including an elongated front frame plate, anelongated rear frame plate spaced from and rigidly secured to the frontplate to'provide a supporting frame, three dial plates rotatably andoverlappingly supported in said frame with their axes in alinementlongitudinally of said elongated frame and having peripherally spacedfigures thereon cooperative to indicate the time of day, a plurality oftabs on each dial plate integral therewith and punched out laterallytherefrom on circles of relatively small diameters to have one facethereof extend substantially radially of the dial plate, an electricmotor supported on the rear frame plate, a

disc supported thereby and caused to rotate through one complete turn ina minute, a driving pin extending laterally of said disc and caused toengage flatwise with consecutive tabs on the first of'said dials at oneminute intervals to cause said first dial to turn through apredetermined angle and two other laterally projecting driving pinsdriven by said first dial to engage flatwise with consecutive bent-outtabs on the other dials at different time intervals to cause differentpredetermined turning movements thereof to cause figures on all thedials alined with the alined axes to indicate the time of day.

2. A dial type clock including a relatively nar: row elongated frontframe plate having an elongated opening therein near one 'end thereof, arelatively narrow elongated rear frame plate spaced from and rigidlysecured to the front plate to provide a supporting frame, anumeral-bearing minute dial, ten-minute dialand hour dial rotatablysupported by said frame longitudinally alined therewith betweensaid-front and rear plates and including a single support for theten-minute and the hour dial, a plurality of flat tabs on each dialintegral therewith and v punched-out laterally therefrom, one face ofeach of said tabs extending substantially radially of the dial, anelectric motor supported by the frame, a disc supported by the motor andcaused to turn thereby through one revolutionper minute, a driving pinon the disc adapted to engage said one faceof consecutive tabs onthe-minute dial to cause predetermined angular turning movement of theminute dial once per minute, driving pins for engaging the bent-out tabsof the ten-minute and of the hour dial at short intervals and atdifferent times to cause the numerals on the dials to appear back ofsaid opening in said front frame plate alined with each otherlongitudinally of the frame to indicate the time of day.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which certain of said dials havecircularly spaced openings therein equal in number to the numerals onthe dial and a leaf spring supported by the frame and having a bent endportion thereof adapted to move into the openings consecutively to holdthe dial stationary when not being caused to turn by a dial driving pin.

4. A dial type clock including a relatively narbearing ten-minute andhour dials rotatablyvand co-axially supported by said frame between saidfront and rear plates with the plane of the tenminute dial back of theplane of the minute dial and with the plane of the hour dial back of theplane of the ten-minute dial and means for calm.

ing predetermined turning movements of the respective dials at intervalsof one, ten and sixty minutes, said means including an electric motor; adisc driven thereby and rotated once per ute, a pin on said disc"projecting laterally. therefrom, flat tabs bent out from the respectivedials 'each other longitudinally of the opening to'indicate the time ofday.

5. A dial type clock including front and rear spaced narrow, long,substantially coextensive frame plates, the front one of which has anelongated opening therein near one end thereof, an hour dial,,aten-minute dial and a minute dial rotatably supported by and betweensaid frame plates and having numbers near their peplate supporting thehour and the ten-minute dial coaxially with each other with thetenminute dial in frontof and of lesser diameter than the hour dial, abearing means on the front plate supporting the minute dial in front ofthe ten-minute dial, an electric motor supported by the rear frameplate, a disc carried by the motor and rotated through one complete turnper minute, a pin on the disc projecting laterally of one face,relatively wide flat tabs on each dial bent out laterally of the dial onrelatively'small diameters, the pin on the disc being rotated to engageripheries, a single bearing means on the rear the flat face ofconsecutive tabs on the minute dial at minute intervals and cause aturning movement in one direction of one-tenth of its periphery, a pinon the minute dial adapted to engage the flat face of consecutive tabson the tenminute dial at ten minute intervals and cause aturningmovement thereof of one-sixth of its periphery in a directionopposite to that of the minute dial, a gear wheel coaxial and rotatablewith said ten-minute dial, a secondge'ar wheel meshing with the firstgear wheel and a piri on the second gear wheel adapted to engage thefiat face of consecutive tabs on the hour dial at sixty minute intervalsto cause a turning movement of one-twelfth of its periphery in the samedirection as that of the ten-minute dial, the

numberson the three dials being visible through the opening in the frontplate to indicate the time of day.

FREDERICK A. GREENAWALT.

